


Dont Forget Me

by Interstellar_Child



Category: Transformers: Beast Wars
Genre: Heartache, M/M, Reunion, dream - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 03:41:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29325639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Interstellar_Child/pseuds/Interstellar_Child
Summary: Optimus and Dinobot stargaze for a moment.
Relationships: Dinobot II/Optimus Primal, Dinobot/Optimus Primal
Comments: 5
Kudos: 12
Collections: Doop Week 2021





	Dont Forget Me

**Author's Note:**

> For Day two of Doop week the prompt was Past/Future and I think everyone had about the same idea.
> 
> This is probaly all I'll be doing for Doop week, also ca you tell I kinda know what happens but havent seent the show or the part where dinobot-

The first thing he notices is that there’s no wind. He can hear the sound of the brook aside him, see the clouds above moving across the night sky, but the trees don't move. He doesn’t think it’s because of the darkness nor the area. Optimus Primal is in the field of tall grass and flowers, only a few clicks from where the Axalon had crashed. Cupped like two hands by the edge of a forest and bordered by a small creek. Often he had found himself here with the others when they needed a moment to relax or were gathering specimens as a distraction from the Predacon attacks. They were explorers after all and not _soldiers_. But Optimus can’t remember the last time he was here. Optimus can barely remember the walk from . . . from the . . . 

The next thing he notices is Dinobots tail swishing in the tall grass. It's not an unfamiliar sight here- especially since this was the one place Dinobot seemed to ever let his guard down. Besides his room back at the Axalon. Still, Dinobot was more often on alert than not even when he did settle down. Stepping closer to him, Optimus smiles down at his comrade. His shape is hard to make out in the dark but Optimus would recognize that eye staring up at him anywhere. The way his arms are tucked behind his head. How his legs are crossed. When his whole demeanor seems to relax once he realizes that standing before him is the Maximal leader. Dinobot doesn’t smile back, he never does, but instead wraps his tail around Optimus’ ankle.

“Lay down beside me.”

Such a simple request. How could he not? The grass bends so easily and the air around them feels comfortably warm. For a moment he’s content to just be. Shoulder pressed against Dinobot, his tail still anchoring him there, and both of them gazing up at the stars above. Optimus is drawing out constellations he still recognizes, and takes note at how the sky is stitched together. He recognizes the constellation of Adaptus the Gifted and the Great Cog-Wheel. But not too far from them is The Many Armed Maker of the Dresden Quadrant. Tyrennias the Terrible of the Minnistrone sector. And in the sky, right above the two of them on the ground, is the beloved Cassiopeia. A constellation one could only see from Earth.

Optimus is pondering on this when Dinobot moves closer to him. Flush against his side and surprisingly cold, Optimus is tempted to pull him closer as to stop the chilled shakes that are running through Dinobot. 

“Is cheetor keeping himself in line?”

Optimus blinks. Trying to remember the last time Cheetor had caused any trouble at all. His mind turns foggy for a moment.

“He’s- he’s good. Fast as ever-”

“His skills are improving?”

“. . . Yes. He’s picked up a few of your moves and he's become quite the sharp shooter.”

Dinobot let out an agreeable grunt before turning back to look up at the stars. Shoulders squared and face hesitant. Optimus hears his platting shift before feeling Dinobots arm entwine with his own. Optimus brings up his free hand to rub warmth into his claws. It’s strange how it doesn’t sink into his platting. Like a wax that doesn’t smooth itself out or paint that doesn’t quite stick.

“Good.” Dinobot purrs, “Good- good that’s very. . .”

Dinobot is distracted by a shooting star. It's so quick that Optimus is surprised he catches it too.

Once long ago he might have reason to wish on a star, much like a sparkling might. But with Dinobot beside him and the others safe on the Axalon, nothing came to Optimus mind that he might want at that moment. Home? Yes, but what star could grant that? Defeating the Preadacons? Yes, but what star was strong enough for that? Something nagged at his processor. That there was something he could wish for, desperately wanted to wish for. But he was having a hard time placing it. Each moment he got closer to it, his mind seemed to fog up all the more.

“And Rattrap? Rhinox? Are they still . . .” Dinobot made a strange noise while searching for the word he was looking for.

“Big Mouthed?” Optimus suggested, recalling words that Rattrap (and on the occasion Rhinox) had been called by the raptor, “Foolish? Soft? Bumbling?”

“Happy?”

Now _this_ \- Optimus thought on this for a moment. They had their moments- everyone on the team did. But the relationship of Rattrap and Rhinox was a quiet one. Rattrap, who could talk for hours and hours and hours and _always_ have a better comeback, learned how to listen around Rhinox. Sit and coax out stories or his newest findings or get him to talk of ideas for inventions he had. Rhinox never rushed through their time together. Never seemed upset around him.

Most of all he never ever got jealous. Despite his flirtings with Tigatron, Rattrap only had eyes and ears for Rhinox. But anyone could see that. Dinobot, even with his aggressive lack of social skills, should have been able to see that.

“As much as they can be. Morale isn't the best right now, but they cheer each other up.”

“Im sure that Rattrap is no help.” Dinobot said, now moving to snuggle his face against his shoulder , “But at least he always has something to say. Sometimes even-”

“A good joke?”

“-A complement.”

There’s something in the way Dinobot says it, like a whisper, that makes it sound regretful. Dinobot is still shaking and his hands aren’t warming up. Curling into Optimus’ side, Dinobot seems to shrink for a moment. He’s never seen him act like this, and whatever is on Dinobot’s mind is making him frown. Optimus wraps him into a tight embrace, feeling a cold face nuzzle its way into his neck. Two arms come up his back and when the claws dig into his platting it doesn’t even hurt. It doesn’t even bleed.

“What about Airazor? They still patrol with Tigatron?”

Optimus is too concerned with trying to get some sort of heat into Dinobots joints that he answers on autopilot.

“Since when did you wonder about either of them?” Optimus says, kicking up his own internal temperature in the hopes to stop Dinobot his trembling.

Dinobot’s whole body freezes up. Claws pressing flat into his back as not to tear at the platting. This isn’t what Optimus wanted, and he’s afraid Dinobot will bolt on him if given the chance.

“Can’t you just answer the question? Maybe I _want_ to ask about my c-comrades? Hmm? Isn’t that what good Maximals do? Ask about their teammates?” he says curtly. And then in a hushed voice he admits “I meant to ask, to talk to them more- I didn’t mean to go and forget.”

“Forget?” Optimus says, trying to not let the worry in his tone be convincing, “What is there to forget?”

“Everything!” Dinobot exclaims, “The Maximals! Our Team! You! How all of it _used_ to be!”

And once Dinobot says it Optimus can’t miss it. The way his new platting looks- the colors, _the greys_ . His face, his eye. The way that he’s _almost Dinobot,_ but not quite. The way now that he realizes how much of an effort it is for the claws on his back to not tear into him. How Dinobot could do so with the slightest ease but Optimus knows he won't. The way that he _is_ smaller now. 

Or maybe it's that he’s so much taller now.

Optimus cups DInobots face in disbelief- Head now spinning yet still able to notice the way that Dinobot gently presses his face into Optimus’ hand. An image of vulnerability he had only been blessed with once before. Dinobot had said something to him in private and Optimus had jokingly asked if he was feeling alright. And upon bringing his hand to Dinobot’s face to pretend to check his temperature, the raptor nuzzled into the open palm. A kiss was planted there so quick that he didn’t know why his spark spun so fast( _I never joke Optimus- you do best to remember that)_ He meant to sit down and actually talk with him. See what he wanted from them- but they never got the chance. Dinobot had so masterfully timed his confession before their final mission together. It felt so obvious now, that it had all happened so fast before Dinobot had-

“You- _you-”_

“Sort of.”

 _“_ But how did- _”_

“Can’t we talk of something else.” Dinobot isn’t looking him in the eyes. Maybe it’s because he isnt used to looking up at Optimus. Maybe it’s everything else. Optimus has changed too. Optimus is different now too. He’s still Optimus, but he isn’t _Optimus._

“Dinobot- I mean- Come on all I care about is that you’re here!”

“I didn’t mean to leave you like that- not really”

And when Dinobot whispers those words into the palm of his hand, Optimus swears he feels his spark break.

And all he can do is bring Dinobot’s head just a bit closer and kiss the top of it. Dinobot is shocked for a moment before reacting. _That hasn’t changed_ . Not at all. Not even a little bit. Dinobot still squirms under the attention and a small hiss escapes his lips before Optimus tells him _I know._

The world around them is fading. The forest is gone and the brook is growing silent. They’re only illuminated by the memory of a moon. Optimus can feel it in his circuits. That the moment is passing them by.

“I don't want to go.” Dinobot whispers.

“Then don't.” Optimus begs, with a kiss to Dinobots cheek, “Stay.”

Dinobot moves first this time. And the kiss is- there's no nice way to put it other than its dinobot. He’s begrudgingly gentle with his touch. Even with the ghost of fangs on his lips Optimus leans in to kiss him back. Even if they aren’t the same- they’re still them.

So it hurts all the more when Dinobot whispers on his lips “I’m already gone.”

Optimus resets his optics and sits up in his new berth. In his new room. On their new ship. In his new body. But his old spark aches. He turns over and tries to forget about the kiss that never happened.

And even still- far away from Optimus, Dinobot scrambles out of his berth. Away from the suffocating arms of Megatron. Head in his claws and platting crawling.And Dinobot _remembers._

**Author's Note:**

> oooooo it was alllllll a dream *wink* is my favorite kinda troupe. people should have characters hang out in their dreams more often lol
> 
> anyway if you saw any spelling mistakes no you didnt thanks for reading gn! (or whatever)


End file.
